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The war began following the sinking of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor in Cuba, which the U.S. blamed on Spain, sparking a declaration of war and intervention in Cuba's fight for independence.

Theme: Effects of Imperialism

It transformed the United States from a developing nation into a global power by shifting its foreign policy away from isolationism and toward imperialism, resulting in the acquisition of overseas territories and increased influence in the world

“Spanish-American War | Summary, History, Dates, Causes, Facts, Battles, & Results.” Britannica, 26 September 2025, https://www.britannica.com/event/Spanish-American-War. Accessed 14 October 2025

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After the Spanish-American War, America helped the Philippines gain independence from Spain, but the Filipinos did not want to become a colony of the United States. This led them to resist American control in their quest for independence from both Spain and the U.S. Initially, the Filipinos welcomed Americans, but tensions rose when the U.S. sought to establish the Philippines as an American colony. On February 4, 1899, fighting broke out, lasting until July 1902 when the United States defeated the Filipinos and captured their leader, Emilio Aguinaldo. This conflict allowed the U.S. to use the Philippines as a strategic base and a trading hub with China.

Theme: Effects of Imperialism

The Philippine-American War impacted the local population by placing them under American control, leaving them feeling confined and lacking independence. In contrast, this situation had a lesser effect on the American people, as the Filipinos transitioned into an American colony shortly after gaining freedom from Spain.

Zablocki, Peter. “The Philippine-American War: The US’s First “Vietnam.”” TheCollector, 27 December 2024, https://www.thecollector.com/philippine-american-war-us-first-vietnam/. Accessed 16 October 2025.

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Throughout this period, Big Stick Diplomacy was used to achieve foreign policy objectives by relying on a strengthened military. Theodore Roosevelt’s phrase, "speak softly and carry a big stick," symbolized military strength. The Roosevelt Corollary expanded the Monroe Doctrine by justifying U.S. intervention in Latin America. Both Big Stick Diplomacy and the Roosevelt Corollary established the United States as an international police power and shifted its foreign policy toward interventionism in the Western Hemisphere.

Theme: U.S. Power Grows

During this era, Big Stick Diplomacy was implemented to accomplish foreign policy aims through increased military power. Theodore Roosevelt’s motto, “speak softly and carry a big stick,” reflected this emphasis on strength. The Roosevelt Corollary extended the Monroe Doctrine, providing justification for U.S. intervention in Latin America. Together, Big Stick Diplomacy and the Roosevelt Corollary positioned the United States as an international police force and moved its foreign policy in the Western Hemisphere toward greater interventionism

(Didn't site when I put it into the citation tool in Google docs)

https://fiveable.me/key-terms/apush/teddy-roosevelts-big-stick-diplomacy

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The American government used media, posters, films, radio, cartoons, and newspapers to depict the enemy as horrible, even if they weren't doing anything to us. They exaggerated the war to get the support of the people by twisting their emotions into making they be afraid. This affected the people by making them fear other countries, and it made the young man want to become a soldier because the media made them think we were going to die because we didn't have enough soldiers, which we didn't, but we weren't going to die because of it.

Theme: Media and Propaganda

The media would exaggerate to the people about what was going on at the war because they wanted the American people to be afraid and help with the war efforts more, and they wanted to control the people's emotions.

O'Toole, Patricia. How the US Government Used Propaganda to Sell Americans on World War I | HISTORY, 22 May 2018, https://www.history.com/articles/world-war-1-propaganda-woodrow-wilson-fake-news. Accessed 14 October 2025.

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The US got involved for a number of reasons regarding the Germans, including:

Unrestricted submarine warfare; Germany's policy of sinking any ships.

Zimmerman Telegram: A secret diplomatic communication from Germany to Mexico proposing an alliance against the United States.

Lusitania sinking

Theme: U.S. Power Grows.

WWI marked the end of American isolationism, establishing the nation as a major global power through its decisive economic and military contributions to the Allied victory

Hindley, Meredith. “World War I Changed America and Transformed Its Role in International Relat.” National Endowment for the Humanities, https://www.neh.gov/humanities/2017/summer/feature/world-war-i-changed-america-and-transformed-its-role-in-international-relations. Accessed 15 October 2025.

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The 1918 Spanish Flu was a devastating global pandemic that infected one-third of the world's population and killed 50 million people, more than WWI itself. The flu's spread was accelerated by the crowded, unsanitary conditions of World War I

Theme: Life on the Home Front

The war effort initially masked some of the economic damage, the flu significantly reduced real stock returns and led to high inflation, and the sheer scale of the loss contributed to a reevaluation of public health measures and international health cooperation in the following years

“1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic.” Museum of American Finance, https://www.moaf.org/exhibits/pandemics/spanish-flu-1918. Accessed 15 October 2025.

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The Treaty of Versailles assigned blame to Germany for the outbreak of World War I, particularly citing their sinking of an American submarine as a key reason for this stance. Consequently, the United States showed little hesitation in holding them accountable. Other nations involved in the conflict agreed to this peace treaty, which included some severe conditions such as territorial losses for Germany, military disarmament, and substantial reparations. The decision not to join the League of Nations stemmed from the Senate's reluctance to become entangled in international issues, protect national sovereignty, and the personal disagreements President Wilson had with his political rivals. This period marked a shift for the U.S., as it started to be viewed more as an older brother figure rather than a young, emerging nation.

Theme: US Power Grows

This strengthened the United States' power internationally, as other countries respected our role in creating the Treaty of Versailles. They appreciated that Germany was held responsible for the war, while they were not.

Treaty of Versailles: Definition, Terms, Dates & WWI | HISTORY, 29 October 2009, https://www.history.com/articles/treaty-of-versailles. Accessed 15 October 2025.

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The Espionage Act and the Sedition Act were used to suppress dissent and restrict civil liberties. These laws criminalized speech that interfered with the war effort, such as criticizing the government, the military, or the flag. Their enforcement led to the arrest and imprisonment of over 2,000 people, and demonstrated how wartime pressures can lead to the infringement of free speech in the name of national security. Voluntary rationing, while not a law, was a key part of the home front effort where citizens contributed to the war by conserving resources.

Theme: Life on the Home Front

The US was fostering a massive industrial and military buildup that powered the Allied victory, creating a new sense of national unity and patriotism, and spurring significant social changes, particularly women's entry into the workforce and a mass internal migration

“Life On The Home Front During World War One.” Imperial War Museums, https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/voices-of-the-first-world-war-life-on-the-home-front. Accessed 15 October 2025.